Features restoring aid



June 24, 1958 s. E. REEVES ErAL 2,839,815

- FEATURES RESTORING AID Filed April 27, 1953 rgi 2 01 mluml @masi 5G02?. @@MWZ) deg?.

United States Patent O z,ss9,s15 l FEATURES REs'roRlNG AID Samuel E. Reeves, Montrose, and Dennis L. Scott, Glendale, Calif.; said Reeves assiguor to said Scott Application April 27, 1953, serial No. 351,454

' s claims. (CLM- 21) This invention relates to the art of embalming rand particularly to an improved means for securing portions of the skull of a human body in the desired position. The invention while particularly intended for post autopsy calvarium closures may also .be usedy to holdthe jaws in vclosed position or to secure other fractures in place, as, for example, a fractured mandible.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device capable of a wide range of uses incident to 'holding separated portions of the human skull in position so that the features of a deceased person may be restored to the greatest possible degree incident ,to the preparation of i the bodyV for burial.

VAnother `object of the` invention is to provide a device of the above `character Awhich is readily `applied andV which does not tend to shatter the bony structure incident toiapplication. .j p v r.A further object of the invention Vis to provide adevice of the above character-V in which thevanchoring means comprises screw threaded elements adapted for easily started, threaded, self penetration of-the boneistructurev to which they are applied.'v v l if;

v`vStill another object ofthe invention. iste-provide a features restoringmeans for use byv embalmersfcomprisingV a pair ofV bone-penetrating,anchoring screwV elements closely spaced screw engaging holes formed throughout the length thereof whereby rto vpermit the anchoring screws to be located vat desired distances apart to accommodate varioususesto'which the device may be put.

jAstill further object of thelinvention is to provide. a feature"'restoring` means for use by embalmers comprisingfia connecting element andanchoring meansltherefor-whichY isso.l constructed. and, arranged thatpthe'; application of the anchoring means completes the installation of the device without the subsequent application of connecting means after the installation of the anchoring means.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such additional objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts described, by way of example, in the following specification of one mode of execution of the invention; reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of said specification and in which drawings:

Fig. l is a greatly enlarged, side elevation of a screw employed as an anchoring means in the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the flexible perforated metal strip employed as the connecting means in the deviceconstituting the invention, Y

Fig. 3 is a front view of a human skull showing the invention applied to effect a calvarium closure,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view take on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 shows the device applied to a fractured mandible,

Y. 2,839,815 Patented June 24, 1958 "ice Fig. 6 shows the device applied to hold the jaws in closed position,

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a tool for applying the anchor screws of the device, and

Fig. 8 is an enlargedelevation of the left hand end of the tool shown in Fig. 7.

In the removalv of the brain as an incident to autopsy, the calvarium is opened by a cut including a frontal cut indicated by the line C in Fig. 3 and the closure of the opening involves securing the calvarium rigidly in position to maintain the features in natural form. The device of the invention comprises a pair of screws such as shown in Fig.` 1 and la length of thin flexible metal or plastic strip having a closely spaced series of holes extending along the center of the str-ip. Specifically, each screw 1 includes a tapered, threaded body portion 2. lterminating in a point 3, a polygonal head 4 and a reduced diameter neck or strip engaging portion 5 located between the large' diameter portion ofthe threaded body and the adjacentside of the head 4; said neck portion being of slightly greater length than thethickness of the strip 6. The strip 6 is preferably 'formed of thin, soft metal and is of a width slightly greater than the screw head 4. Along its medial line it is provided with a series of holes 7 arranged in closely spaced relation; the d-iameter of the holes being substantially equal to the root diameter of the threads of the screw body Z at the Vlarge end thereof. They strip element is provided in long lengths and is cut to the desired lengths as used.

AVReferring next to Fig. v3 the invention is shown as applied to a calvarium closure. It will be'understood that the scalp thereover.' In making the closure :with the and a tie meanscomprising a flexible metal strip, l iaving presentinvention, the calvariumis `replaced in position andtwo strips 6 of: the desired Vlength are cut Vfrom the supply. .One end of each strip is secured at one side of the7cut '.Cby. inserting a screwl' through one of the holes 7 therein and screwing it into the skull by means of a suitable tool such asV the socket wrench `element shownin-Fgs. 7 'and` 8 and comprising a` cylindrical handle portion 8 having a knurled surface 9 and havingI a`s'c`rew head engaging'socket 10 at one end thereof.' -The sharppoint ofthe screw is first pressed into the bone land thenuponl rotation of the screw, the threads thereof willfcompletetheperietration *of the bone.` j Preferably,` the''tool'isrrnged ,to hold.. the screw `in the socket-fori starting purposes. For example, the screws may be of steel and the socket element may be magnetized. The opposite ends of the strip are then similarly secured to the skull at the opposite side of the cut C and the flap of the scalp and forehead are then replaced over the securing means. Since the heads of the screws are very thin and the connecting strip is also very thin, the presence of the securing means avoids any distortion of the features of the body.

The usefulness of the invention is not limited to callvarium closures and may, for instance, be employed to hold fractured bones of t-he skull in position suchV as a fractured mandible as shown in Fig. 5. Here is illustrated a lower jaw or mandible M having a fracture F with the portions of the jaw held in position by a single length of strip 6 and two screws 1 yapplied in the same ing the second screw.

Heretofore, the mode of performing the jaw securing operation by themeans in most general use has included the steps of' driving nail like anchoring elements intov the jaws andthenpsecuring the ktwo anchoring nails andtacks to each other bythe usev of twisted wires. T he present invention eiects a simplification over that method inthat the formation ofthe `connectingor tying link between the anchoring means is completedas an incident tothe insertion of the self-penetrating anchoring screw means. This simplification obtains with all uses of the device in which the perforated strip is employed as the `connecting means. In those instances in which a supply of perforated connecting strip is not available, it is obvious that the heads of the anchoring screws may be interconnected by the use `of wires in the manner heretofore in general usage for mouth closures.

It has been mentioned above, that preferably, the screw receiving holes in the connecting strip are slightly smaller in diameter than the largest diameter of the screw body and are about equal to the root diameter of the threads at the largest root diameter of the screw body threads. The strip being of soft metal or of plastic, this reduced size of the holes permits the two screws to be rotated and thus threaded through the holes of the strip and to be held thereby at their respective grooved portions as an incident to employing the device in a pre-assembled condition to effect a closure in cases in which it is more convenient to -use the device in that manner. The screw heads have been shown as hexagonal in plan but it will be apparent that any other non-circular outline or other tool-engaging configuration may be employed as well with the driving wrench element suitably adapted to engage the heads of the screws.

t While in the -foregoing specification, we have'V described and illustrated one embodiment of the invention and certain illustrative uses thereof by way of example, it is not to be deemed therefrom that the invention is limited to the specific embodiment and usage there shown, and is to be understood that the invention embraces all such changesy and modifications in the parts and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts and the usage thereof as shall come within the purview of the appended claims;

We claim: t

1. A' features restoring aid for use by embalmers, comprising a plurality of self-penetrating bone entering screws; each of said screws having a conical, threaded,

bone entering and engaging body portion, a head portionv of greater diameter than the largest diameter of said body portion and a connector engaging neck portion disposed between said head and body portions, andv a flexible metal strip connector means interconnecting said neck portions; said connector meansv comprising a thin, exible metal strip having a plurality of spaced holes disposed along the length thereof through which said screws may be threadedly inserted with said body portion passing entirely through said holes with resultant capacity for selective spacing of the said screws and assembly of said strip and screws ready for use.

2. A features restoring aid for use by embalmers, comprising a plurality of self-penetrating bone entering screws; each of said screws having a conical, threaded, bone entering and engaging body portion, a head portion of greater diameter than the largest diameter of saidv body portion and a connector engaging sneekV portion disposed between said head and bodyk portions and having a diameter smaller than said head or the largest diameter of said body portion, and a ilexible metal strip connector means interconnecting said neck portions; said connector meanscoinprisinga thin exible strip having a pluralityl of closely'sp'aced holes of a'diameter-smallerA than the largest diameter of said body` portion and larger than the diameter of said neck portion extending along the length thereof and affording means for selectively spacing the connected screws from each other; the material of said strip ,being susceptible of being cut by the threads of said body portionincident to the'passage of the screw therethrough with resultant pre-assembly of said screws and connector prior to use.

3. A features restoring means for use by embalmers of said screws having a holeadjacent each end thereof' encircling said'grooves of said screws saidv holes being smaller than the' largest diameter-of said body portions of said screws and larger than the diameters Vof said grooves. Y

References Cited `in the tile of this patent UNrTBD YSTATES PMENTSy 1,105,105 Sherman 'c July 28, 1914 1,260,154' :Day Mar. 19, A1918` 2,15.6,350 01son May 2, 1939 Wright July 24, 1951 f 

